Equalizing mechanism



1954 J. A. CASTRICONE EQUALIZING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1950 3nvent r Jo/m A. Lbsfr mne i 6 Gttorneg Nov. 23, 1954 J. A. CASTRICONE 2,695,147

EQUALIZING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor v fa/277 A. Casfizbone attorney United States Patent EQUALIZING MECHANISM John A. Castricone, Peoria, 111., assignor to Altorfer Bros. Company, Peoria, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 6, 1950, Serial No. 199,517

7 Claims. (Cl. 248-2) This invention relates to improvements in equalizing mechanism adapted especially for uniformly supporting different devices, such as clothes washing machines.

Where a machine or other device is supported at four or more points, such as the corners thereof, difficulties have been encountered in obtaining a uniform support machine on such a floor with feet that are used as the supporting means for the machine. The same principle applies to any other types of machines that must be supported at four or more points.

Une object of this invention is to improve the construction of supports for devices, whereby an effective support thereof may be obtained automatically Without individual adjustment of the different points of support.

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of the supports for devices, whereby the several supports will tend to equalize each other to accommodate for irregularities in the surface on which the device is mounted.

These objects may be accomplished according to one embodiment of the invention by the provision of supporting feet for a device of this character, which are movably connected with cam members so as to shift the positions thereof automatically to obtain a proper support of the device and an equalization of the movement of one of the feet to accommodate for a cariation in pressure on the other. It is preferred that the supports be connected together operatively so as to equalize each other in the supporting action of the respective feet for the device. Plungers may be used to form the respective feet of the machine, each of which is rotatably connected with a cam supported thereon and which serves to mount a corner of the device. A pair of cams at different corners of the device may be connected together whereby any pressure that is applied to one of the plungers will cause the cam to rotate toward the low side thereof, which in turn will cause movement of the other cam, thus obtaining an equalizing action in the supporting of the device, irrespective of irregularities in the floor surface on which it is mounted.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes washing machine showing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the supporting feet and its connected cam;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the base of the machine and showing the equalizing mechanism in top plan;

Fig. 4 is a cross section therethrough on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view at right angles thereto on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

It will be recognized that the equalizing mechanism or supporting means of this invention may be used for many different types of devices that are adapted to be supported at four or more points. It is illustrated and described as applied to a clothes washing machine merely ice as an example of one embodiment of the invention, which embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of illustration.

The machine is constructed of a casing, generally designated by the numeral 1, and supported upon the base 2. The washing machine is of the type adapted to be supported at the four corners thereof, as will be evident from Figs. 1 and 3, at which points supporting feet may be provided, as hereinafter described. The mechanism for effecting the washing action is not illustrated or described in detail because this equalizing or supporting mechanism may be applied to any suitable form of clothes washing machine or other device for which it may be applicable.

In the embodiment illustrated, the machine is supported at one side by a pair of feet 3, each of which is provided with a threaded shank 4 screw threaded into a ferrule 5 secured rigidly in the lower portion of the base 2 of the machine. These feet 3 may thereby be adjusted vertically by rotation in the ferrules 5 to obtain the proper height of adjustment of the base relative to the floor or other surface on which the device is adapted to be mounted.

At the opposite side of the base 2 are a pair of feet 6, each of which has fixed rigidly thereto a plunger 7. The plunger 7 is slidably mounted for up and down movement in a sleeve 8 fixed to the underside of the base 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The upper end of each plunger 7 is rounded substantially in a ball surface or has a ball-bearing 9 mounted thereon and interposed between the end of the plunger 7 and a head 10 that is rotatably supported on the plunger 7 to turn relative thereto. The head 10 is cup-shaped with the plunger 7 telescoped therein, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the head fits over the upper end of the plunger and is carried thereby. This head 10 in turn is journaled in a sleeve portion 11 formed on a shelf or flange 12 projecting inwardly of the base 2. The head 10 may be formed as a casting or in other suitable manner, as desired.

A cam 13 is secured to the head 10 of one plunger 7, and a corresponding cam 13 is secured to the head 10 of the other plunger 7 at the corresponding side of the device. The cams 13 and 13' are of graduated heights, each having an inclined face extending continuously from a low to a high side thereon, as will be apparent from Fig. 2. Each of the cams is provided with an arm 14 thereon, and the two cams may be connected together by a connecting rod 15, as shown in Fig. 3. The earns 13 and 13 should be fixed rigidly to the heads 10 and may be cast integral therewith, if desired.

Each of the cams 13 and 13 has the sloping upper face thereof bearing against a roller 16 (Fig. 2), which is enclosed in a bearing guide 17 fixed to the shoulder or flange 12 to retain the roller in place in supporting relation between the upper face of the'cam and the lower face of the shoulder or flange 12.

It will be apparent from this description that a corner of the machine will be supported on one of the feet 6 through the parts described. The plunger 7 is fixed to a foot 6 and this plunger in turn supports the head 10 on the upper end thereof. The head 10 has a cam 13 or 13' fixed thereto, which cam thereby is supported on the plunger 7. The cam in turn supports the corner of the base 2 by the roller bearing 16 resting on the cam and interposed between the latter and the flangeor shoulder 12. a

The plungers 7 and earns 13 and 13' are free to rotate relative to each other. If any pressure is applied to one of the feet 6 more than is applied to the other foot 6, the cam 13 or 13 at the pressure corner will tend to rotate toward the low side thereof. This rotation will be transmitted through the connecting rod 15 to the other cam and cause rotation of the latter in a corresponding direction. Since the cams 13 and 13' are turned with their high and low sides in opposite relation to each other, as for instance, right hand and left hand positions, rotation of one of the cams toward the low side will cause rotation of the other cam toward the high side. The movement of the first cam toward the low side would tend to shorten the plunger 7 relative to the base,

Patented Nov. 23, 1954 but the corresponding movement of the other cam would tend to lengthen the plunger 7 relative to the base. This produces an equalizing action that will automatically provide uniform support for the device on the floor,

even though irregularities may occur in the surface on which the device is supported.

It will be evident that the equalizing mechanism herein described may be used as well at the front as at the back of the machine, or "at either lateral side thereof, and in fact'may be used in any desired relation for supporting a machine or other device that is mounted on a surface at four or more points, as for instance at the corners thereof.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in one embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention, except as specified in the claims.

I claim:

1. A supporting device comprising an upright plunger,

a head telescoped over the upper end of the plunger and supported thereon for turning movement relative thereto, a cam carried by the head, journal means for supporting a device on the cam, said journal means including a roller resting on the cam, a'clip embracing the roller and holding the same ina position'on the cam, and a shoulder resting on the roller, said clip being secured to the shoulder and journali'ng the roller for turningmovement relative thereto.

2. In a device supported at a'plurality of points on a surface, upright'supports at a pair of said points, aca'm journaled on each of said "supports for turning movement about an upright axis, each cam having a cam face thereon'extending 'aroundthe axis ofthe upright support and inclined lengthwise of the axis, roller means bearing against each cam face and a portion of said'device whereby a portion of said device is supported on said cam face for turning movement of the cam relative thereto, said cams having the cam faces thereof inclined in opposite directions, and means connecting the cams together for turning movement in the same direction, whereby when one of the cam faces raises one point of support of the device relative to the surface the other cam face causes a lowering of the other point of support relative to the surface.

3. In a device supported at aplurality of points on a surface, upright supports at a pair of said points, a cam journaled on each of said supports for turning movement about anupri'ght axis,each car'n having a cam face thereon extending around the axis of the upright support and inclined lengthwise of the axis, means bear- I ing against each cam face and an adjacent portion of the supported device whereby a portion of said device is supported on. said cam fa'ce,said cams having the cam faces thereof inclined in opposite directions, and means connecting the cams together'for turning movement in the same direction, whereby when one of the cam faces raises one point of support of the device relative to the surface the other cam face causes a lowering of the other point of support relative to'the surface.

4. In a device supported at four'points ona surface, upright plungers at a pair of said points, ahead surrounding each of said plungers and supported thereby, said head being journaled thereon for turning movement about an upright axis and having a cam faceextending around said'axis externallyof the head and inclined lengthwiseof the axis, said cams having roller means bearing, against each cam face and a portion of the device whereby a portion of said device issuppor'te'd on said cam facefor turning movement of the cam relative thereto, said cams having the cam faces thereof inclined in opposite directions, and means connecting the cams together for turning movement in the same direction,

4 whereby when one of the cam faces raises one point of support of the device relative to the surface the other came face causes a lowering of the other point of support relative to the surface.

5. In a device supported at four points on a surface, upright plungers at a pair of said points, a head surrounding each of said plungers and supported thereby, said head being journaled thereon for turning move ment about an upright axis and having a cam face extending around said axis externally of the head and inclined lengthwise of the axis, roller means bearing against each cam face and a portion of the device whereby a portion of said device is supported on said cam-face for turning movement of the cam relative thereto, said cams having the'cam faces thereof inclined in opposite directions, reciprocable link means connected at opposite ends directly with the cams and connecting the cams together for turning movement in the same direction, whereby when one of the cam faces raises onepoiiit' of support of the device relative to the surfacethe other cam face'causes a lowering'of the other pointof stipport relative to the surface. 7

6. In a device supported at fou points onasinface, upright plungers at a pair of said points, a head "s'u'r rounding each of said plungers andsupported thereby,

said head being journaled thereon for turning movement about a'nupirght axis andhaving a cam'face extending around said axis externally of the head and inclined lengthwise of the axis, means bearing -against each'ca'rh face and a portionof the device whereby a portion of said device is 'supportedfon said ca'm face for tuining movementof the cam relative thereto, sa'id'cams ha'ving the cam faces thereof incliriedin dppositedirectio'n's, and 'rneans connecting lthe c'ams together for turning movement in the same direction, whereby when oneof the cam faces raises'one ,p'ointof support of the device relative to the surface the other cam face causes a lowering of the other point of support relative to the surface.

7. In a device supported at four points on a surface, upright plungers at.a pair of said'points, ahead surroundin'geach of said plungers andsupporte'd thereby, said head being 'j'ournale'd thereon for mmin msvm-eht about an upright axis and'havhi'g a cam face extending around said axis externally'of the head and inclined lengthwise of ,the axis, means bearing against each'cain face at a singlepoint 'aboutthe circumference thereof and a'portio'n of the device whereby a portion of said device is supported on said camface for turningmovement of the cam, relative thereto, said ca'r'n's having'the ca'r'n faces thereof inclined in opposite directions,"and means connecting thecams together for'turiiirig ino'vement in the same direction, whereby when one of the cam faces raises one point of support of the device ielative to'the'surface the other camfa'ce causes a lowering of the other point of support relative tothe su'rface.

ReferencesCited in the tile of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 5 Date 343,031 'Hunting Iune 1, 1886 1,115,707 Marcus Nov.,3, 1914 1,417,640 Sterner "a May 30, 1922 'l,8'65; 672 Bryant iulyf'5 -lj9 3'2 1,954,986 Carlson et al 'Apr.'17,19 34 2,540,750 Morrison Feb. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number I Country I "Date, 379,904 Italy Apr. 12,1940 

